The invention relates to a connection assembly providing signal conditioning and superior shielding for high speed data applications.
Known connector assemblies exist having multiple receptacle connectors in a common housing, which provides a compact arrangement of such receptacle connectors. Such a connector assembly is useful to provide multiple connection ports. Accordingly, such a connector assembly is referred to as a multiple port connector assembly. In preferred arrays, the housing has jacks one above the other, forming a plurality of arrays in stacked arrangement, so-called stacked jack arrangements. The receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, each have electrical terminals arranged in a terminal array, and have plug receiving cavities. Specifically, the receptacle connectors are in the form of RJ-45 type modular jacks that establish mating connections with corresponding RJ-45 modular plugs.
For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,612, a connector assembly has two rows of receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, arranged side-by-side in an upper row and side-by-side in a lower row in a common housing, which advantageously doubles the number of receptacle connectors without having to increase the length of the housing. The receptacle connectors have plug-receiving sections with plug receiving cavities that are profiled to surround modular plugs that are to be inserted in the cavities. The modular plugs have resilient latches, which engage with latching sections on the modular jacks. The latches are capable of being grasped by hand, and being resiliently bent inwardly toward the plugs to release them from engagement with the latching sections on the modular jacks.
Such connection systems have found utility in office computer networks, where desktops are interconnected to office servers by way of sophisticated cabling. Such networks have a variety of data transmission medium including coaxial cable, fiber optic cable and telephone cable. One such network topography is known as the Ethernet network, which is subject to various electrical standards, such as IEEE 802.3 and others. Such networks have the requirement to provide a high number of distributed connections, yet optimally requires little space in which to accommodate the connections.
Furthermore, such networks now operate at speeds of 1 gigabit and higher which requires significant conditioning to the signals. For instance, it is common to require shielding for controlling electromagnetic radiation per FCC standards, while at the same time controlling electromagnetic interference (EMI) within the assembly, between adjacent connections. It is therefore also a requirement to provide such components within the assembly as magnetic coils, inductors, chip capacitors, and the like, to condition the signals. While the technology exists for conditioning the signals, no connection devices exist which are capable of handling such speeds, while at the same time package the signal conditioning components required to maintain these speeds.
Another design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,911 to Boutros et al., which discloses a modular jack assembly having multiple ports for connection to multiple modular jacks. While this assembly further discloses having packaged magnetic assemblies, or other components, this design, as in other attempts to signal condition connection devices, simply adds the components to known connection devices. Therefore the volume within the assembly is inadequate to provide the proper signal conditioning devices for the high speeds now required.
The objects of the inventions are therefore to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
The objects of the invention have been accomplished by providing an electrical connector having signal conditioning, where the connector comprises an electrical connector housing assembly comprised of a first housing portion having a mating face for matingly receiving a complementary connector and a second housing portion having a receiving area for receiving signal conditioning components. A plurality of electrical contacts are positioned on the first housing portion, having contact portions adjacent the mating face for contact with the complementary connector, and connecting portions extending into the receiving area. A plurality of signal conditioning components are positioned in the receiving area, and a plurality of conductor portions are positioned in the receiving area interconnecting the connecting portions and the signal conditioning components. The first and second housing portions having an alignment mechanism to align the first and housings, and the first and second housing portions having a locking mechanism to lock the first and second connectors together.
In the preferred embodiment, the electrical connector conductor portions are defined as circuit traces on a printed circuit board, with the signal conditioning components being positioned on the printed circuit board. The second housing portion receiving area is defined by a floor and an upstanding perimeter wall, the perimeter wall being profiled to receive the printed circuit board. Preferably, the first housing portion is defined as a modular jack housing, with the connecting portions extending along, and spaced from, a rear face of the modular jack housing, whereby the first and second housings are assembled together, with a front wall portion of the upstanding perimeter wall extending between the connecting portions and the rear face of the modular jack housing.
Also preferably, the circuit board has plated through holes adjacent to the front wall portion, and the connecting portions are positioned and electrically connected to the through holes. The alignment mechanism is comprised of a vertical rib positioned on the exterior of the perimeter wall, and complementary grooves positioned on interior surfaces of side walls of the modular jack housing. The rear face is recessed and the grooves extend rearward of the rear face, whereby the side walls of the modular jack housing, partially overlap the perimeter wall, when the complementary grooves overlap the ribs.
Preferably, the second housing portion includes an extending portion, forward of the perimeter wall, and the modular jack housing includes a lower wall positioned adjacent the extending portion when in the assembled position. The extending portion and the modular jack lower wall include complementary locking elements to form the locking mechanism. The locking elements are in the form of dovetail locking elements. The modular jack lower wall is defined by upstanding L-shaped wall portions, including longitudinal wall portions adjacent side walls of the modular jack housing, and transverse wall portions which extend inwardly and towards each other, leaving free ends of the transverse wall portions spaced apart, the free ends being defined with a portion of the dovetail locking elements.
The extending portion is defined by side walls, and a front end wall, the end wall having the complementary portion of the dovetail locking elements defined thereon, the extending portion cooperating with the modular jack housing such that the side walls of the extending portion are slidably receivable between the longitudinal wall portions and the dovetail locking elements at the end wall of the extending portion are received between the spaced-apart free ends of the transverse wall and into locking engagement with the complementary dovetail locking elements.
In another aspect of the invention, a signal conditioned electrical connector comprises an electrical connector housing assembly comprised of a first housing portion having a mating face for matingly receiving a complementary connector, and a second housing portion having a receiving area defined by a floor and an upstanding perimeter wall, for receiving signal conditioning components. A plurality of electrical contacts are positioned on the first housing portion, having contact portions adjacent the mating face for contact with the complementary connector, and connecting portions extending into the receiving area. A plurality of signal conditioning components are positioned in the receiving area, and a plurality of conductor portions are positioned in the receiving area to interconnect the connecting portions and the signal conditioning components. An alignment mechanism is defined on the first and second housings to align the first and housings together.
In the preferred embodiment, the conductor portions are defined as circuit traces on a printed circuit board, with the signal conditioning components being positioned on the printed circuit board. The upstanding perimeter wall is profiled to receive the printed circuit board. The first housing portion is defined as a modular jack housing, with the connecting portions extending along, and spaced from, a rear face of the modular jack housing, whereby the first and second housings are assembled together, with a front wall portion of the upstanding perimeter wall extending between the connecting portions and the rear face of the modular jack housing.
The alignment mechanism is comprised of a vertical rib positioned on the exterior of the perimeter wall, and complementary grooves positioned on interior surfaces of side walls of the modular jack housing. The rear face is recessed and the grooves extend rearward of the rear face, whereby the side walls of the modular jack housing, partially overlap the perimeter wall, when the complementary grooves overlap the ribs.
The first and second housing portions further comprise a locking mechanism to lock the first and second connector housings together. The second housing portion includes an extending portion, forward of the perimeter wall, the modular jack housing includes a lower wall positioned adjacent the extending portion when in the assembled position. The extending portion and the modular jack lower wall include complementary locking elements to form the locking mechanism. The locking elements are in the form of dovetail locking elements.
The modular jack lower wall is defined by upstanding L-shaped wall portions, including longitudinal wall portions adjacent side walls of the modular jack housing, and transverse wall portions which extend inwardly and towards each other, leaving free ends of the transverse wall portions spaced apart, the free ends being defined with a portion of the dovetail locking elements. The extending portion is defined by side walls, and a front end wall, the end wall having the complementary portion of the dovetail locking elements defined thereon, the extending portion cooperating with the modular jack housing such that the side walls of the extending portion are slidably receivable between the longitudinal wall portions and the dovetail locking elements at the end wall of the extending portion are received between the spaced-apart free ends of the transverse wall and into locking engagement with the complementary dovetail locking elements.